Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

वस्त्रैराभरणैश्चैव स्वशक्त्या नृपनंदिनि । गौर्यै भक्ष्यं च दातव्यं मिष्टान्नेन शुचिस्मिते

Transliteration

vastrairābharaṇaiścaiva svaśaktyā nṛpanaṃdini | gauryai bhakṣyaṃ ca dātavyaṃ miṣṭānnena śucismite

Translation

Ô princesse, selon ses moyens, qu’on offre des vêtements et des parures; et à Gaurī aussi qu’on présente des dons comestibles avec des mets sucrés, ô au sourire pur.

Word by Word

• वस्त्रैः: with garments
• वस्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• आभरणैः: with ornaments
• आभरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात — conjunction/particle

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात — emphatic particle

• स्वशक्त्या: with one’s own ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य शक्तिः)

• नृपनन्दिनि: O king’s daughter
• नृपनन्दिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप-नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + नन्दिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृपस्य नन्दिनी)

• गौर्यै: to Gaurī
• गौर्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular

• भक्ष्यम्: food to be eaten
• भक्ष्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात — conjunction/particle

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — gerundive/passive necessity: “to be given/should be given”

• मिष्टान्नेन: with sweet food
• मिष्टान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिष्ट-अन्न (प्रातिपदिक; मिष्ट + अन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; कर्मधारयः (मिष्टं च तत् अन्नम्)

• शुचिस्मिते: O pure-smiling one
• शुचिस्मिते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुचि-स्मित (प्रातिपदिक; शुचि + स्मित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular; कर्मधारयः (शुचि स्मितं यस्याः)

Speaker

Lakṣmī (contextual instruction; addressing a royal woman/recipient of teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa-nandinī (princess) addressed as śuci-smitā/sundarī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A princess-devotee stands before a Gaurī altar with attendants presenting folded garments, ornaments, and trays of sweets; the atmosphere is clean, auspicious, and ceremonial.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• Nṛpanandinī (addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity aligned with one’s means, offered to the Goddess, is upheld as a central expression of dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to a tīrtha-mahātmya setting; the verse highlights offerings to Gaurī rather than naming the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give garments and ornaments as per capacity, and offer edibles and sweet dishes to Gaurī.